Shades of Winter
by Eternity and Midnight
Summary: (~Spike is alive~) After five years, Faye has moved on, getting as far away from the Bebop gang as she could..until a new murderer emerges and kills in gruesome ways. Spike brings the group together to find the killer with a bounty on its head of 500 mill
1. The Posse

~Authors' Notes:

Eternity: This is our first fanfic together; I hope you all enjoy it.  We don't own Cowboy Bebop or anything else, so there's really no point in suing either one of us.  Each one of us controls certain characters.  I am Faye Valentine and Spike Spiegel.

Midnight: And I am Jet Black and Julia. (Just a note: Julia won't be showing up for a while)

Eternity and Midnight: Enjoy!

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The moon was out, glowing in all of its perfect radiance.  Faye watched from her umbrella covered outdoor café table as children holding their parent's hands scampered across the street, little red shopping bags in hand.  Christmas on Ganymede was wonderful.

She sipped her coco and decided to go inside.  It was getting cold, but she didn't want to leave the cozy little café just yet.  So, Faye picked up her briefcase and her mug before trudging inside.  The room was decorated in red and blue garlands, wreaths hanging on all four walls.  The quiet sounds of a jazzy _Jingle Bells_ filled the café and the warm air from the heater made her a little sleepy.

Faye resisted the urge to rest her head on her arms and go to sleep right there on the table.  She had a reputation to protect, believe it or not.  Who would have ever though that she, Faye Valentine, would become a successful businesswoman?  Sure, she still made stops at the local casino every once in a while, but she had learned to be a little bit more refined.

Not only that, but she lived alone.  She didn't depend on anyone.  She had a cat named Jester who she adored.  He's was a lot better than that mutt, Ein.

Faye cringed inwardly, thinking about Ein.  It might have been five years since she left the company of the Red Dragon's leader, the hacker Ed and the horrible cook Jet, but she still missed them.  Why did she leave?  A foolish fight she had had with Spike, of course.  Doesn't all ending of relationships, even those of companionship, happen that way?

Misty, the owner of the café, came over.  Her lean, tall frame was agile and made Faye wonder what she had been before being a waitress.  It didn't matter, of course, but that was just a little something that ran through her head every time she saw Misty.  She had a graying sweep of brown hair and the most shocking cerulean eyes Faye had ever seen.  Her lips were thin and long, but she was still pretty.

"Do you want another refill, Miss Valentine?" she asked Faye politely.

"No," she declined with a small smile.  "I think I'll be leaving once this cup is finished."

"Alright. I'll bring the tab," she said with a smile before walking away.

The door opened and the little bell above the doorway chimed merrily.  Faye looked up, only to see a young woman speaking to Misty.  Misty smiled, and said something that made the girl's eyes turn to Faye.  They were a familiar tawny color.  She walked towards Faye -more like bounced- and sat down across from her.  "Where have you been all of this time, Faye-Faye," she said in a reserved, fashionable soprano.

Faye blinked at the girl, taking in her tanned face, her flushed cheeks, her reddish hair that was pulled back in a ponytail, and her tawny cat eyes.  "Edward?" Faye asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

She nodded, a self-satisfied smirk on her face.  A navy blue sweatshirt and a pair of blue leggings covered her still skin-and-bones frame.

"Edward?" Faye repeated.

She nodded again.  Faye knew this could go on for hours, so she closed my gaping mouth and regained some composure.

She smiled.  "We were worried about Faye."

"We?" Faye repeated.

"Spike, Jet and Ed," she clarified.  After a long pause, she continued.  "Why'd Faye go away?"

Faye went silent, remembering five years ago, some time around this time of the year.

**_* Flash Back*_**

"You're still in love with her, aren't you?"  Faye asked, shuffling the deck of cards in her hand.

"What?" Spike asked, looking up from his magazine.  He looked around, as if making sure Faye was talking to him and not someone else.

"Julia," she clarified in a matter-of-fact tone.

He glared at her.  "Give it a rest, Faye.  Jesus, you're like the damned CIA."

"Well excuse me.  All I wanted to know is if you were over the dead girl yet." Faye knew that was harsh, but the pain inside of her heart and his spiteful words had egged her on to say it.

He gave her a look that made her want to cry.  His expression was so hurt and pain filled.  Faye could see that he was trying to mask it with fury.  Anger is easier than pain.  "Spike, look, I'm sorry, I-"

"Get out.  Just get the hell out of my ship and don't come back.  I don't want to see your face, hear your voice, or mention your name ever again.  Get the hell out.  NOW!"

Faye stood up.  She also resulted to anger and threw the deck of cards at him, watching as they hit him in the face and fluttered into his lap.  "Gladly."  Faye turned, grabbing her sweater off of the floor and walking out.

**_* End Flash Back *_**

"Spike and I had a little argument and he told me to get out.  I left," was all Faye said.

Edward frowned, looking down at the table.  "Spike has been worried about Faye.  He doesn't show it, But Ed knows.  Ed can tell."

Faye smiled.  "Well, Ed, why have you come here, to catch up on old times?  Or is there another reason?"

Ed, after all of these years of flamboyance and happiness, security and surety, looked sad and confused.  "Vicious is back."

"Vicious is dead," Faye argued.

"There have been some killings on Venus, and even a few on Ganymede, has Faye heard about them?" Seeing Faye's nod, Ed continued.  "The people have all been killed by being gutted by a sword.  Next to the bodies, the killer signs 'Vicious is back' on either the floor or wall."

"So it's a Vicious wannabe?" Faye questioned.

"Basically… but…" she paused for a long moment.  "Each person has something… missing."

"Something missing?" Faye repeated, feeling a jerk in my stomach.

"Yeah.  The police have kept that piece of info out of the tabloids, but for how long, Ed wonders?  One person had their eyes missing, and another had their lips ripped off.  Others have had some rather… interesting… places taken."  Despite her try not to, Ed burst into childish giggles.  Faye almost gagged.  She had an idea what interesting part Ed meant.

The door opened again, and Misty's voice asking, "Welcome, do you want anything to drink or eat?" was declined by a savvy voice Faye knew all too well.  Spike walked through the door, wearing a pair of blue jeans and a red sweater.  Very Christmassy of him.  Jet followed, wearing an identical outfit as Spike's, only his sweater was a royal green.  What was with these people?  Had they turned classy once Faye had left?

Faye stood up when they saw her.  Jet and Spike both ambled forward, matching paces.  When they came to a stop a few feet in front of Faye, she had to scoff playfully, "My lord, did you two become Polo wearers once I left?"

_Like you have room to talk_, Spike's eyes seemed to say.  Faye was wearing a pair of black dress slacks and a white silk shirt with a black leather duster over it all.  Faye knew she looked better dressed than half of the satellite of Ganymede, and that made her feel guilty all of a sudden.

Faye went up to Jet and hugged him warmly.  "Hey you," she whispered.  "Have you been taking cooking lessons like I advised you?"

He gave a grumbling laugh and patted her back.  "Yep, this is our Faye alright.  How did you ever manage getting a job with that sort of attitude?"

"Oh, where there's a will, there's a way," Faye laughed, pulling away.  Faye then looked at Spike and tried not to frown.  Here was Spike, in all of his messy haired glory, and she was hesitating to hug him.  _Oh to hell with it,_ She thought and hugged him.  His arms wrapped around her tightly, as if she was the last stable thing in his life.  "Hello again, Space Cowboy," She murmured.  Faye could tell he was smiling.

When she pulled away, Faye sat down at the table and motioned for Jet and Spike to do the same.  Spike pulled out a chair and sat in it backwards while Jet remained standing.  "Ed told me about the Vicious wannabe," Faye informed them.

Spike nodded.  "Yeah.  We were thinking about tracking the guy down.  Maybe even fixing the Bebop up and doing a little bounty hunting as well.  This guy would rack in a lot of woolongs, and he had killed some Red Dragon members.  We were wondering if you could… if you would…"  Spike looked over and Jet who nodded in encouragement.  Faye stared in confusion. "Do you want to join up with us again?" Spike finally finished.

Faye felt my heart skip a beat.  She had nothing left to lose, not really.  The only solid thing she had here was her job and apartment.  The days of work were long and strenuous.  Home life was boring.  Hell, what else was holding her back?

"No," Faye answered.

"No?!" Ed, Jet and Spike all said simultaneously.

"Not until Spike apologizes."

Spike stared at Faye for a long moment before saying, "Faye, I never meant to say what I did five years ago.  It was a stressing time and I was still trying to sort out my feelings.  I am truly sorry."

"I am never going to let you live this moment down, Spike," Faye said with a grin.  "What time do we ship out?"

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~Please Review~

Eternity's Angel of Mercy & Midnight Rain

_SEE YOU SPACE COWBOY…_


	2. Author's Note

If any of you would like to be added to our mailing list, either email us at eternity_and_midnight@yahoo.com or say so in your reviews.  Our mailing list is usually sent out once a week when we update our story.  We will email all of you, telling you what story has been updated, what the title of the chapter is, a brief summery and a link to the chapter.

Thank you so much!

~Eternity~ and * Midnight *  


	3. Stand By Me

Three days had passed since that fateful meeting in the café.  Faye hadn't even noticed that Christmas had passed.  She was too busy keeping Ed from putting the cat in her blender, making sure Jet did not go anywhere near the cooking utensils and keeping Spike from smoking inside the house.  

"Faye-Faye, look!! Jester go round and round in the blender just like a milkshake!" Ed cried out as she stuffed Faye's frantic cat into the blender.

Faye looked up from her perch on the couch, eyes wide.  "No! ED! DON'T TURN THE BLENDER ON!" She screeched, running for the kitchen and grabbing her poor, innocent little angel cat out of the blender and away from Ed's clutches.  "Jester does NOT go in the blender!"

Ed giggled before bouncing off to find something else to destroy.  Faye heard a shattering off glass from the general direction of her room and let out a long sigh.  "Jet, when is the ship's remodeling going to be done?  I don't think my apartment can take much more abuse."

"The Bebop will be done by tomorrow at the latest," was his gruff reply.  He was lied out on the couch, relaxing to the sound of blues music playing on Faye's small stereo.  Spike came on from his hourly smoke, sitting down in one of her recliners.  There was a long moment of absolute silence, save for the soft voice on the radio.  Just as Faye was about to sink down onto the ottoman near Spike, she heard another shatter of glass from her room.  She took a deep breath before walking slowly and deliberately into her room. 

Ed was sitting on the floor, looking at the vase of dark red roses that had been on her dresser.  Now the vase and roses were on Faye's floor, the vase shattered into a million little pieces.  "Edward," She growled, letting her voice unleash the pent-up aggression that had been building over the past three days.

"Yes, Faye-Faye?" she asked, her voice innocent.

"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY ROOM AND QUIT BREAKING ALL OF MY FUCKING STUFF!" Faye screamed at her. 

Her eyes laughed at Faye as she got up and scampered out of the room.

When Faye returned, Edward was standing by her stereo, fiddling with the dials.  "Edward, sit down.  We are all going to sit here in silence and have a peaceful moment, even if it goddamn tears you to pieces!!"  Jet opened his mouth as if he were going to tell Faye to calm down.  One look from her shut him up immediately.

Faye sat down on the ottoman and Ed sat on the arm of the sofa.  Ed had turned it to an oldies station, playing a favorite of Faye's grandmother's.  Faye stopped, remembering another piece of her still-blurry past.  Her grandmother?  _So now I remembered my granny?_  

Faye was yanked out of her thoughts when Ed hopped off of the couch and walked over to Spike.  "Spike-person, will you dance with Ed?"

Spike was about to brush it off when Faye chimed in, "Or will you dance with me?" Faye batted her eyelashes teasingly.  

He smiled. "I think I'll stick with Ed."  He stood, taking the hands of the younger girl and twirling her about the living room before settling into a slow sway.

_"When the night has come,_

_And the land is dark,_

_And the moon is the only light we'll see._

_No I won't be afraid,_

_Oh, I won't be afraid,_

_Just as long as you stand, stand by me." _

Faye smiled as Ed, still a lot shorter than Spike, craned her neck almost all the way back just to look at his face.  Jet stood, walking up to Faye.  "Well, seeing as we are the only ones left out… would you like to dance?"

Faye smiled at him, placing her hand in the one he offered.  "I feel much obliged," Faye said in a Southern-Bell voice. She rested her head on his shoulder as hey swayed to the music.  Faye caught sight of Spike watching her.  She took that opportunity to stick her tongue out at him.  _Serves you right for picking the youngster over me_, her eyes teased him, seeing his despair because the young girl seemed more interested in swinging on his arm than dancing.

_"So darlin', darlin',_

_Stand by me, oh, stand by me,_

Oh stand, stand by me, stand by me… 

_"If the sky that we look upon should tumble and fall_

_Or the mountain should crumble to the sea_

_I won't cry, I won't cry, no I, I won't shed a tear_

_Just as long as you stand, stand by me_

_"And darlin', darlin',_

_Stand by me, oh, stand by me,_

_Oh stand, stand by me, stand by me…_

_"So darlin', darlin',_

_Stand by me, oh, stand by me,_

Oh stand, stand by me, stand by me…" 

After the song, Faye sort of stood there, her head still on Jet's shoulder, her arms wrapped around his neck.  They kept swaying slowly, even after the next song came on.  They were finally interrupted by Spike clearing his throat.  Jet and Faye pulled away, looking at him.  "Yes?" Faye asked, suddenly flustered though she knew not why.

"The shop just called.  Bebop is now complete."

"I didn't hear the phone ring," Faye said, glaring at him.

"I don't blame you, you were a bit preoccupied."  He said that in an accusing way, as if she and Jet were doing more than just dancing.

"Oh good God, I am in no mood to put up with a bruised ego!  It's your own damn fault that I was dancing with Jet, so don't go berating me," Faye called as she walked down the hall and into her room to change.  She came out in a red sweater and matching dress slacks, her duster completing the outfit.  She held a black suitcase in one hand and was shoving her new Desert Eagle inside her coat where it would go unnoticed.  

Faye then bent down, grabbing Jester's cat carrier from inside the closet and called Jester.  He came running, but then caught sight of the dreaded cat carrier.  He bolted.  Ed giggled and launched after him.  After five crashed, four bangs and a whole lot of glass breaking, Ed came back, holding the frantic black cat in her arms.  "Ed caught Jester!"

Faye nodded, "I see that."  She took Jester and put him in the carrier, grabbing his food and water dish.  

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Spike began as a protest.  "No one told me that we're gunna have another animal running around!"

"Well what did you expect me to do?  Leave him here to die?"  Faye picked up her suitcase and Jester's carrier.  Ed carried the water and food dishes.  

"Do you honestly want me to answer that?" he replied.

"Well, I am going to the docking bay, so if you all are coming, hurry it up," Faye said, already halfway out the door.

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The ship could be described in one word.  Remarkable.  Now that was repainted, remodeled and refurnished, it was like a space cowboy's heaven.  The white leather couch, matching recliners and mahogany coffee table in the living area was matched beautifully with the pale walls and lush carpet.

Faye's room was larger than what she had remembered it to be.  The bed had been made up in royal green sheets and comforters.  There was a nice little cherry-oak desk in one corner with a laptop.  There was also a hollowed out shelf space in the wall and a large closet.  She couldn't believe it.  She rushed out into the living area where the group was still marveling at the worker's finished product. 

"How much was all of this?" Faye asked them, flopping down on the couch.

"178,398,450 woolongs," Spike replied, eyes scanning the room.

Faye almost choked.  She knew that he, being the new Leader of the Red Dragon Syndicate, had enough money to cover that sort of repair, but… Faye pulled out her trusty checkbook and pen, scribing it out for 934,506 woolongs.  "I figured this would cover for Ed, Jester and my part of the repairs."

"No, keep it," Jet insisted, but at the same time Spike grabbed the check from her hands.  

"Come on, Jet," Spike argued, "she should have to pay!  There is only so much you and I earn from Red Dragon."

Faye looked at Jet, shocked.  _So he is part of Red Dragon, too?  _Faye  nodded, more to herself than anyone else.  "Good, we're all in agreement.  Now let's get this ship off the ground, what do you say?" she asked, a smile on her face.

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~Please Review~

Eternity's Angel of Mercy & Midnight Rain

_SEE YOU SPACE COWBOY…_


	4. Blue Eyed Angel

The new Bebop was even harder to adjust to and find your way around than before.  Somehow, along with changing the décor, the workers had also created more rooms, more corridors and storage rooms.  They did a decent job and got paid very well. It was a good exchange between the facilities of the Bebop crew and Marvin's Magical Machinery Menders & Measurements, aka MMMM&M.  For some odd reason, Jet, Spike and Faye had a feeling the person who came up with the name of the business (Marvin, they was assuming) would get along with Ed perfectly.   They both seemed to have a knack for naming things.

The Bebop crew was still feeling each other out and seeing what everyone else was really about.  They were relearning what it was like to be together again.  That night at dinner, when they were all gathered in the kitchen, Jet emerging with the infamous beef and bell pepper main course.  He also had bought rolls and corn, throwing them in as a special treat.  He even broke open a bottle of wine for the "adults" and even let Ed have an unnecessary glass of wine.  They all knew that would be a recipe for disaster, but did that stop them?  Of course it didn't.

Spike mumbled about Big Shot being put back on air due to the new attacker.  Not only was the Vicious-wannabe lurking about, but also there had been a drastic increase in murders all over the galaxy, none related.  That didn't mean, as Jet so forcefully put, that this there were different attackers.  Spike and I disagreed.

In the middle of the meal, the Big Shot's theme song floated from the general direction of the living room.  Spike got up and practically ran into the living room.  Faye followed at a slower, more refined pace.  Ed bounced in and perched on the couch beside Spike, while Faye chose to sit in a recliner, her wine in hand.  Jet followed them all in, leaning over the back of Faye's chair.

"Hoooooow ya'll doin' out there?" Punch's annoying voice floated through the ship.

Faye winced as Judy's trill joined in: "It's time for another BIG SHOT!"

"Looks like Judy's gaining some weight," Faye chimed, noting a slight roundness beginning in her lower stomach.  "The least she could do was buy a frikin' shirt."

Punch took over: "Today's top baddie is none other than… Zane Sohoz!  He wracks in a whopping 38 million woolongs!"  A picture of a young man with blonde hair popped up, along with a profile.

"Someone wants him bad," Jet muttered.

"Oooh, but he's so cuuuute!" Judy squealed, looking positively ecstatic.

"Are you _loco_?" Punch asked.  "He is wanted for assisting in at least three proven murders!"

Judy covered her eyes and yelped.  "Oh sugah, I don't think I could sleep when a man like that is wandering around the galaxy!"

"He was last spotted on Mars and is said to still be there, but no one has spotted him yet!  Good luck, amigos!"

Faye looked at Spike and then Jet who was still beside her.  "What do you all think?"

Jet looked at Spike.  "It's a lot of woolong," he said gruffly.

Spike nodded.  "I say we take it."

"I'll go change course," Jet said, heading toward the control room.

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Faye stood on the street corner, feeling a little bit more than foolish.  She had been asked –forcefully threatened, more like- to stand there and watch for anyone who met Zane's description.  So far, after three hours of standing, nothing turned up.  Standing there, just knowing that she was part of a bounty hunting squad again, brought back memories.  Memories that were both good and bad, and some that were humorous and others that were deadly.  They were memories she was sure she had banished over the past five years.

Someone ran into her from behind.  She turned; she was ready to tell off the person, when she caught sight of her assaulter.  The woman was female with dark clothing and a man's trench coat.  She had long torrents of golden blonde hair and when the woman turned, Faye caught sight of her face and her eyes… _those eyes…_  They were pure and beautiful.  Faye had only seen eyes like that once.  _Julia.  No way is that you!  You were dead…but so was Spike…or so I thought…_

Faye felt like running after the woman, but then remembered Spike's warning.  Her heart was torn in two different ways.  _Think of it this way, _the logical side of her brain chimed, _if you leave this corner and find Spike's long lost true love, won't he overlook your rule breaking?  _That was that.  Faye was running after the shimmering blonde hair, praying to God that it was really Julia.

She had followed the girl into a magic shop.  The exterior was painted dark blue with little silver stars.  Inside there were black lights that made anything white glow neon.  Faye was inwardly glad that she had decided on wearing blue.  She walked in, looking around for any sigh of the blonde headed Julia look-a-like.  Not seeing her, she walked up to the man behind the counter and said on a whim, "Hi, does Julia happen to work here?" she asked, not knowing Julia's last name.

The man stared at her for a long moment.  "Um, yes.  May I ask who you are?"

"Oh, I'm just a friend.  I haven't seen her since high school, so I figured, 'hell, why not drop in on Jules'."  Faye smiled winningly at him and he was soon off to get Julia.  _So you really are still alive, _Faye thought as she waited.

Julia emerged, staring at Faye for a long moment.  Julia's eyes seemed to glaze over the longer she stared at Faye.  "Do I know you?" she finally asked.

"May we talk over there?" Faye asked, pointing to a relatively empty corner that had a collection of postcards.  Julia nodded and Faye led her away from the swarm of people.

"Do I know you?" Julia repeated.

"Yes…well, you did… once."  Faye noticed how odd she sounded and then smiled.  "Faye.  Faye Valentine.  May I ask you some questions?" Seeing Julia's hesitant nod, Faye continued.  "Do you happen to remember a man named Spike Spiegel?"

Julia's eyes seemed to shine a sudden, bright icy blue.  "Spike?" she said softly, a look of utter hopefulness crossing her face.  Her eyes then dulled again and her face turned solemn.  "I don't know a Spike. I'm sorry."

"Then do you remember this?" Faye asked, handing Julia Faye's old Glock.  Spike had mentioned her variety in guns, so Faye figured Julia had at least heard of Glocks before. Again Julia's eyes brightened but the light diminished almost as quickly.

"It's a gun," she said simply, handing it back to Faye without another word.

Faye nodded slowly, slipping the gun back into her own black trench coat.  She began to ask another question when her communicator buzzed with Spike's voice.  "Any sign of him yet?"

Faye quickly got her comm. out and said quickly, "Nope, haven't seen him."

There was a long silence before Spike asked 'the question'.  "Are you still on the street corner?"

Faye paled and alleged, "Yes, I am still on the street."

"On the street _corner_?"

"…No…"

"Why not?" It was easy to tell Spike was trying not to yell.

"Because, I saw Julia and flowed her into a magic shop and am currently talking to her! Bye!"  She ended all transmissions and sighed deeply.  "Thank you for your time, but I have to go."  She began to walk by but stopped so their shoulders were level.  "Meet me tonight at the old church on 87th.  9:49 p.m."  Faye then walked out into the brightly lit world.

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"Now, explain to me why we are here again?" Spike asked.

"I met Julia, Spike.  I know it's her!  I told her to meet us here so you could see for yourself.  Something is wrong with her, though, and I can't figure out wha-" Faye was cut off when a shadowy form approached.  The form moved through the thick snow as if they were walking on water.  The blonde hair swayed with her movement.  Julia drew nearer and Spike caught his breath.

"Jules," Faye could make out the soft words that barely escaped his lips.  He walked forward, meeting her halfway like in all sappy love movies.  "Julia?" he asked, his voice soft.

Julia reached out to touch Spike, her hand trembling.  Her eyes were wide and clear and full of hope.  Right as she touched his cheek, she jerked back.  "I… I don't know you."   Faye looked closely and could see her eyes clouding over.

"Julia, Jules, is that still you?" he asked, his voice was mellifluous and held a hint of sorrow.  He took her up in his arms.  "Are you still there, Jules?" he continued.  "Are you still my Julia?"

Julia looked at him for a long, hard moment.  "No." Her voice was forceful and blunt.  "I am Zane's Julia."  Faye could see a faint outline of an invisible knife Julia's words had formed.  She could also see them pierce through Spike's heart and tear it to pieces.  Spike let go of her and began to back away.

_Zane… Zane!_  Faye thought frantically.  _The bounty is named Zane!  Surely that isn't a popular name.  _"Julia, can you take me to Zane?" Faye asked quickly.  Seeing Julia's nod, Faye turned to Spike.  "Go back to the Bebop.  Now."  Faye then told Julia to lead the way and the two women took off at a run down the street, through the snow and toward Faye's bounty.

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"He's in there?" Faye asked, looking into the magic shop.  Julia nodded and unlocked the door.  They entered the dark shop and Julia led Faye through the back room, interestingly covered by a curtain of silver stars.

"He's there," she said, pointing to a closed wooden door.

Faye took a deep breath and made sure both of her guns were ready.  She then took a deep breath before pushing the door open and entering. Zane, the same man as in the picture, looked up from a wooden desk covered in compounds and dusts of multi colors.  "May I help you?" he asked.

"Hi, Zane, right?" Seeing his nod, she continued, "My name is Faye Valentine.  My friend, Julia works here.  She told me you might be looking for people to fill in for part time jobs, and I was wondering if I could set up an interview."

"I am sorry, Miss Valentine," Zane murmured, standing and beginning to walk around the side of his desk.  "I am afraid that I have already filled in those part time offers."

"Oh, well in that case, I guess I should be leaving…" she turned to leave but stopped with her hand on the door.  "Oh, but may I ask you a question first?"

She turned to see Zane bob his head in consent.  "You see," Faye began, "Julia was shot.  She died."

Faye watched shock register on Zane's face, and then anger.  The two emotions were quickly replaced with a mask of nothingness. "I am afraid, Miss Valentine, that I do not follow you.  I found her in the hospital, shot, yes, but defiantly no dead.  The doctors said she had no friends, family or companions, and so I took her in."  _I told them to find me a loner, _Zane thought angrily.  _Damned servants can't do anything on their own.  Too bad I have to kill this one… such a pretty face…_

"I am not trying to deny that you did so, but I must insist on telling you something… I was by Julia's side morning, noon and night," she lied easily, keeping eye contact.  "I watched her die.  How is she alive now?"

Zane waved his hand and sent a shock of electricity through her.  Faye fell back, her fingers twitching without her sanction.  She looked up at Zane, gritting her teeth.  "You think… that will keep me... from finding out?"

"If you so insist on knowing, I am a magician.  A real one, as you have just found out.  I raised her from the dead.  She is a zombie; a well preserved one, might I add, but still a zombie.  Her soul, since I brought her back so soon after her death, is still intact, but it is clouded."

"Un-cloud it, then," Faye muttered through her still-clenched teeth.

"I am afraid I cannot do that."

"Then I will do it for you," Faye spat, reaching into her coat and bringing out her Desert Eagle in one hand, her Glock in the other.  Zane raised his hand, but Faye stopped him by saying, "There's no point in doing that.  If you hit me with another attack, my nerves will jerk and I will end up pulling the triggers anyway.  Even with me gyrating from the electric, there is an 80% chance I will hit you.  Is it honestly worth it?"

Zane stared at her, his eyes hard and cold, letting her know she won.  "Undo the spell," Faye snapped.  "Now!"

Zane closed his eyes, his lips moving in a silent incantation.  He then opened his eyes. "Done."

"Good.    I am turning you in to the Mars Police Station and I am taking Julia with me. Now walk outside and stop when I tell you to or else one of these pretty little silver bullets will be lodged in your brain, understand?"  Zane did not answer, but she could tell he was not happy.  Oh well, to hell with his happiness.  She grabbed his hands and cuffed him before he could try anything.  Thank God for the sturdy handcuffs you could easily pickpocket from unknowing cops.  Faye pushed Zane along and out of the door, leading him out of the shop.

Julia was standing outside of the magic shop, staring down at her hands in confusion.  "What the hell-"

"Julia?" Faye asked.

Julia turned and her eyes, once she caught sight of Faye, grew larger.  "You… I remember you…"

"Faye Valentine, bounty hunter on the Bebop."

"The Bebop?"  Julia's eyes seemed to sparkle.  "Spike…" she then looked at me, holding two guns to a handcuffed man, and frowned.  "What is going on here?"

"Come with me.  I am going to turn this guy into the police, and then we can go to the Bebop.  I only want to tell this story once, and I am sure Spike will be overjoyed to see you."

Julia nodded slowly.  "Sounds good."

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~Please Review~

Eternity's Angel of Mercy and Midnight Rain

_SEE YOU SPACE COWBOY…_


	5. Goodnight Julia

Faye sat on the couch, watching the blank television screen as if waiting for something to happen.  _Why did I bring you back, Julia?  I might have been able to win Spike over if I hadn't have brought you back.  God, what possessed me to do that?_  Faye felt a tear trickle down her cheek, followed by another.

"Faye?" 

Faye looked up quickly and, realizing it was Julia, wiped away her tears.  "Oh, Julia… Spike hasn't gotten back yet, if that is what you are wondering."

"Where is he?" Julia asked, sitting down on an ottoman.

"Probably bar hopping and getting drunk.  As usual," Faye added with a small smirk.  "He'll come back around 3 or 4 in the morning, collapse on the couch and sleep of his drunkenness.  He will then make a mad dash for the bathroom when he wakes up, puke his guts out and come into the kitchen for a Prairie Oyster.  That is Spike's typical nocturnal routine in a nutshell."

Julia smiled, but then went silent.  "What were you crying about?"

"It was-"

"Nothing?" Julia finished it as a question.  She gave me one of those _I know better than that_ looks.

"You know something?  I guess I was kind of in love with Spike.  Maybe a crush would be a more appropriate term.  I still am, in a way.  I was always hoping he would notice me… but he was so set on you that he didn't want a girl like me."  Faye smiled sadly.  

"Why'd you take the time to bring me back, then?"

"If you really love a person, you will be joyful for them if they are happy… even if you are not part of their happiness," Faye murmured, her voice soft.

Julia watched the younger woman with a look somewhere between compassion and boredom.  "That sucks," she finally said.  Faye let out a choked laugh and bit down on her bottom lip to keep the tears.  Julia continued, "You'll find someone.  He's probably right under your nose."  She got up and began to walk into the kitchen.  When she returned, holding a glass of water, she murmured, "Thank you for bringing me back."

Faye nodded.  "Anytime."  She stood and added, "you can wait for Spike here on the couch.  This is usually the only place he notices when he gets home."

Julia flopped down on the couch and watched as Faye turned and walked towards her room, shutting the door behind her quietly.  Julia sipped her water and lied down on the couch, closing her eyes.

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Julia was awakened by a crashing noise coming from the entrance of the Bebop.  She sat up, pulling her legs so they were folded beside her.  A dark figure lurched into the room, its heavy footfalls echoing in the quiet ship.  Its face, illuminated by the scant moonlight that spilled through a window, was very identifiable.  The curly mass of hair, the large nose… everything was the same as Julia had remembered.

Spike collapsed onto the couch, only to find his head resting on a soft leg.  He sat up quickly, squinting through the darkness and drunkenness.  "Faye?"

"Wrong person," Julia whispered back.

Spike didn't feel drunk anymore.  He felt confused, delighted, and a little afraid.  _What has happened?_  "Jules?"

"Hello Spike."

Spike reached over and pulled her into his lap.  She snuggled into his arms, murmuring, "I've missed you." 

After a long moment, Spike pulled away slightly.  "What happened to you in the church yard?  Why did you act like that?"

"It's a long story, and I don't know all of it.  I think Faye was saying she would explain it tomorrow morning… once you had your Prairie Oyster, of course."  Spike nodded slowly, causing Julia to continue.  "Where do I sleep?"

"Well, the couch is usually open, and I can sacrifice my bed, you have a choice between the two."

"I think I'll take the bed.  Anything has got to be softer than this couch," she muttered, standing up.  "Are you sure you want to sleep on the couch?"

"Sure.  It's really handy.  Right next to the eggs in the refrigerator and a few short steps away from the toilet to puke up my intestines.  Yeah, I'm set."  Julia smiled.  It felt good to do that again.  Hell, it felt good to hear Spike's voice again, even if it was slurred with alcohol.

"Goodnight Spike."

"Goodnight Julia." 

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The next morning, Julia was seated in the kitchen.  Jet was making eggs at the new, high-rise stove.  Faye was still asleep, as was Spike.  "So, Jet, is this your ship?"

"Originally, yes," Jet said, throwing some pepper into the scrambled eggs.  "Now I suppose I consider it Faye, Spike, Ed, and my ship.  If you are planning on staying on with us, I'll add you to the roster as well."

Julia opened her mouth, about to say something when they heard a yell from the couch.  "JET!  OYSTER! NOW!"  

Thunderous footfalls ran down the hall and into the bathroom.  Jet and Julia heard retching and Julia shook her head.  "He really needs to stop all of that."

"Drinking?" Jet asked.

"Excessive drinking," Julia corrected.

"We all do," Jet said with a grin.  "He just gets the worst."  Jet pulled out a raw egg and cracked it into a cup.  He put water, Tabasco sauce, and pepper into the concoction. Jet walked the glass into the bathroom and came back, shaking his head.  "He looks like crap."

"Probably feels equally as bad," Julia nodded.

"EIN!!!" A screech ran through the ship.  A blur of wild reddish hair ran through the living room and into the kitchen.  The girl picked up the dog and twirled him around.  "Oh, how is my pretty little doggy?"  She continued to coo at the dog as she danced out of the room, twirling the dog.

Julia blinked.  "Who was that?"

"Ed, our local hacker.  She'll disappear for as much as three days and then show up randomly across the ship.  Don't mind her."

Julia nodded slowly.

"Jeeeeeeeeeeet!" A very high, very feminine voice wailed.  A bathrobe clad Faye walked into the room, looking horrible.  Her hair was sticking up at odd angles, her face was pale and her eyes were pain filled.

"What?  What is it?" Jet asked, running over to her and taking her by the shoulders.  Julia could see the worry in his eyes.

"There's no more Midol."

Jet let out a long sigh, removed his hands from her shoulders and walked back over to the eggs, stirring them.

"Jet, come on, I am in excruciating pain, here!"

"Here I was hoping after five years on your own you had changed," a voice came from behind her.  Spike, carrying the empty glass that his Oyster had been in, ambled into the kitchen.  "I guess being back here on Bebop has you depending on everyone else again," he continued.

"Oh shut up, Spike.  You don't have to go through these things!"

Spike sat down, his head in hands.  "You're right, and thank God I don't."

Faye let out a sound halfway between a moan and angered screech before she stomped back in the direction she came from, slamming the door.  Jet, sighing, served Spike and Julia their eggs before putting on his jacket.

"Where you goin'?" Spike asked, looking up from his barely touched eggs.

"The Princess is in pain and she'll make our lives living hells if she doesn't get some meds."  

Spike snorted.  "Princess.  There's a good one."

Julia smiled.  "I thought she was an interesting woman.  Not many females are into bounty hunting."

"Not many females have a mouth the size of Neptune on them, either," Spike grumbled, getting up for a glass of water.

Jet smiled, and before leaving, agreed "Here-here."

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Five hours later, at 2:34, Faye finally emerged form her room.  She was wearing an outfit of yellow short pants, matching cropped shirt and a red sweater hanging off of her shoulders.  "Look familiar?" she asked the group crowded in the living room.

"So, going back to your old costume –er, I mean- outfit, are you, Faye?" Jet asked.

Faye shrugged, sitting down.  "It was fun-the way it used to be, I mean."  After that was said, she launched into the relation of her capture of the bounty and how she had found Julia.  Julia, being under the magician's mind control (for lack of better words), had not remembered anything that happened.  The last thing she remembered was dying, and that is not a good last memory.

They had a rather silent dinner of pasta and bread rolls, after which Jet disappeared to his room, Faye went to the hanger to smoke and think, Julia hopped on the couch to watch television and Spike went to his room to catch up on some much needed sleep.

Julia awoke with a start, not even noticing she had fallen asleep.  

"And in this special report, there is a 78 million woolong reward for anyone who finds the bomber of St. Ricardo Medical Hospital-"  

Julia grumbled, "Spike, turn it off," sleepily.  When she realized that Spike wasn't in the room she cursed and found the remote, silencing the TV with the power button.

"78 MILLION?!" Jet bellowed, coming down the hall.  He grabbed the remote and turned on the television again.

Julia moaned, "Turn it off."  When he didn't turn it off, she sat up and said quite childishly, "You're mean."  She got up and headed down the hall to Spike's bedroom.  She crawled into bed beside him, thankful for the dark room and comfortable bed.

Spike turned, squinting at her.  "Jules?"

"Hmmm?"

"What are you doing?"

"Jet took over the living room, so I came in here to sleep."

"Fine by me," Spike murmured, pulling her close.

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"WE'RE GOING TO VENUS!" Jet cried out, walking down the hall.

Julia opened her eyes groggily, looking at Spike's bedside clock.  "It's 6 o clock, for God's sake, let us sleep," she grumbled, burying her head into the pillows.

Faye came out into the hall, her eyes wild, hair mused.  "Look here, Jet," she hissed, pointing a finger at him, "it is only 6 in the morning, do you understand that concept?! I need my beauty sleep and God knows Spike needs some rest and Julia probably doesn't give a crap where the hell we are going!"  She poked Jet with her nail in the chest as if trying to make her point clearer.  "SO, I expect you to be silent the next three hours I am trying to get sleep, got it?!"

Jet stared at her, unsure whether to laugh or take her seriously.  The crazy look in her bloodshot eyes told him to take her seriously.  "I just thought everyone would like to know."  

Faye turned and walked into her room, slamming the door.  Jet walked into the control room to watch their course and Julia silently cheered Faye on by mumbling, "You go, girl."

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Faye entered the control room an hour later, a frown on her face, and her hands on hips.

"Do you need something, Faye?" Jet asked, looking up from where he sat watching the stars.

"I can't get back to sleep," she growled.

"Want to sit here with me and watch the stars?" he offered.

"Perverted old man," she muttered but sat down anyway, watching the stars pass by.  Within moments, she was asleep.  Jet smiled softly, picking her up in his arms and carrying her back to her room.

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"So you are saying we have to go around and _investigate_?" Faye questioned.  The whole group, including Ed, was gathered around the kitchen table, discussing the bounty.  "So we have to go around asking random people about this terrorist?"

"No, Faye, we have to act like real investigators," Jet murmured teasingly.

She glared at him. "I'm still mad at you."  

"So, who is in?" Jet asked, changing the subject.

"Not me.  I think it's a waste of time, myself," Spike said, his feet kicked up on the table.

"I guess I might as well," Faye murmured, standing up.  "I have been quite a pain in the butt.  The least I can do is humor you all."

"Alright, Faye and I are going to go look for clues and ask around."  Jet looked at Julia, "You need some new clothes.  Spike, take Julia shopping."  

Spike paled.  "Shopping?  On Venus?  Oh no."

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Spike walked out of the Bebop and into the brightly lit Venusian atmosphere.  "It's a beautiful-" Spike began but then noticed his voice sounded like he had been sucking on helium. 

Julia laughed.  "What was that?  I don't think I quite heard you right.

Spike glared at her and refused to answer.  Instead, he began to walk towards a stand selling "Magical Jake's Voice Reverse".  Spike bought a whole bottle, popping two of the pills.  This reminded him of something…but what?  _Rocco… Rocco!  He was the one who gave me these pills the first time…_    

Julia grabbed Spike by the arm, breaking him out of his trance.

"Pick a store," Spike said.  "Any store."

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~Please Review~

Eternity's Angel of Mercy & Midnight Rain

_SEE YOU SPACE COWBOY…_


	6. Casino Night

Chapter 5: Casino Night 

"We're going to the casino!" -Jet

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Faye made her way around a barricade of stone, timber and ash only to find a scrap of paper.  Unlike the rest of the things found on Ground Zero, this was perfectly clean.  It had no singe marks from the fire that had erupted and was still in one piece.  It was a card.  The Joker smiled at her sardonically from the picture.  "Hey, Jet," she called, fingering the card, "come 'ere!"  When he didn't respond or come right away, she grudgingly trudged around Ground Zero, looking for any sign of her bald partner.

Jet was climbing over a mountain of rocks, heading in the opposite direction from Faye. 'Nothing, nothing.' He grumbled. 

"JET!" She screeched, running up to him and waving the card frantically in his face, "Look, I found a card!"  

Jet grabbed her frantically swaying arm and took the card. "Does it mean anything to you? 'Cause I don't get it." 

"Joker Jeff," she said with a big grin.  "When 'Poker Alice' was still notorious, he used to come around and challenge 'her' to poker, roulette… you name it, 'she' beat him in it.  He owned a gun shop here on Venus, but I don't know if he still does.  He knows many sources, so he could easily be the one doing all of this." She looked very proud of herself.

"He could destroy a building?" Jet sounded surprised. 

"With enough firepower, anyone could do this," she said, panning around the wasteland. 

"Ok, we could check him out."

"Am I going to get any sort of recognition from his royal highness?" She asked, looking at Jet expectantly. 

 "Good job, Faye. Do you know where he is now?" 

Faye let out a very exasperated sigh.  "Well gee, Jet, I haven't seen the rat bastard in years!  How the hell should I know?  It isn't like I track down ever lowlife I play cards against…" her voice trailed off.  "Waaaiiittt a minute…"  She got a big grin.  "Jet, I think we need to go shopping."

"Why?" Jet furrowed his eyebrows, confused. 

"There's a new casino and opening night is tonight!  Every gambling person will be there!  I guarantee it!  Oh Jet, this could be our lucky break!"  She danced around, spitting out words like 'woolong', 'filthy rich', 'catching that rat bastard', and 'evening gown'.

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Julia picked a shop that wasn't too fancy, but not too plain or sporty.  Spike followed close beside her, as if he was afraid someone might think he was shopping for himself.  "So, um… how long do you plan on shopping?"

Julia looked back at him. "Have something to do?" She ran her hand along a row of shirts. 

"No, these things just creep me out."  He then picked up a virtually see-through lacy hot pink bra that's cups were large enough to hold a watermelon each.  "Goddamn," Spike whistled, looking speechless.

Julia shook her head, walking further into the store. She stopped at a rack, and she picked up a shirt. Just like the bra Spike had picked up, it _was _see-through black lace. She held it up to her, like she was planning on getting it. "Hey, Spike, think it will look good on me?" 

"Excellent, in fact, why don't we buy a sign that says, 'Fuck me now, only 2 woolong'." Spike then moved on, picking up a vibrant pink shirt with little yellow daisies on it.  "How about this?"

She laughed at Spike's choice as she hung up the see –through shirt and then turned to go continue looking. Eventually she ended up picking out at least twelve pair of jeans and some dark shirts, ranging in color from black and blue, to red.  

Spike nodded at her selections and was about to escort her out the door when he saw someone that made him stop dead in his tracks.  "Stella?" he asked, voice amazed.  The woman with soft eyes and short brown hair turned, looking the same as she had five years ago.  _Rocco's baby sister._

Stella looked at him curiously.  "Do I know you?"

"Yes, well, you haven't _seen_ me before, but we have met.  Five years ago, I was here on Venus.  My name is Spike, I was an acquaintance of Rocco's."

Stella's eyes looked pained at the mention of her brother's name, but she smiled.  "Oh, Spike!  Yes, I remember.  I am so glad to finally see you!"  She smiled and shook his hand.  "Who is this?" she asked, looking at Julia.

Julia nodded her hello, and introduced herself. "I'm Julia, a friend." 

Spike looked at her oddly before smiling at Stella and patting her shoulder.  "We'll have to get together some time, Stella."  Stella smiled politely before excusing herself to go buy a new dress.  Spike then began to walk out the door, not even sure if Julia was following him.

Julia walked after him, swinging her bags at her left side. She looked like she really didn't care what was going on; she did it almost nonchalantly.

Spike walked with his hands in his pockets, a frown on his face.  He was hunched over like he was thinking very hard.   

"What's on your mind?" Julia questioned as they stopped to let a car go by before crossing the street. 

"Oh, I don't know.  I suppose I'm thinking a little about how Jet and Faye are doing… but, I think I am mostly wondering how the _hell _we can be just friends?" 

"Oh, Spike. Don't let that get to you." 

"Don't let it- Oh Jesus Christ, I'm going back to the Bebop."  He turned on his heel and stomped off like an overgrown tantrum throwing child.

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Jet was sitting on the couch, leaning his head against the back; relaxing. His feet were kicked up on the table, and his arms were stretched out on his sides.  Spike glowered at Jet and sat down on the ottoman continently located by the couch.  "Would you call someone you're sleeping with just a friend? "

Jet opened one eye, looking at him from the corner of his eye. "No… Where did this question come from?" 

"Julia is going around calling us 'friends'.  How fucked up is that? I confronted her about it, and she said, 'don't let it get to you'." 

"It's getting to you." He sat forward. "Maybe it was a slip up. Maybe she didn't know what you were thinking and didn't want to jump to conclusions." He tried to comfort Spike.

Spike was about to say something when Faye ran in, three bags dangling from her arms.  "Jet, we only have three hours to get ready!" 

Jet stood up. "Sorry, Spike. I'd help, but I got to go. Talk about it with her." 

Faye looked slightly interested and curious, but was to busy pushing Jet along to ask what was going on.  She handed Jet a bag.  "You have a tuxedo in there, along with dress shoes.  Tonight we need to look classy."  She ran off to her own room with the remaining two bags.

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Jet walked back into the living room, dressed up in an all black tuxedo only to see Spike _still _sitting on the ottoman. He lowered himself on the couch, waiting for Faye.  Spike looked up.  "Good God, where are you two going?"

"We're going to a Casino." 

"Keep an eye on Faye," he warned.

"Keep an eye on lil' ol' me?"  Faye stood in the doorway.  She wore a dress of deep crimson.  It was spaghetti straps with a plunging neckline to her lower abdomen.  The slit up the side reached to her hip, so just the right movement would show her full leg but expose nothing else.  She also had her infamous gold bracelet on her ankle.  Her heels were spiked stilettos of a dark red, just like the dress.  Her hair was pulled back and accented by a red rose.  "Why Spike, I thought you trusted me.  You trust me, though, don't you, Jet?" she asked, smiling sexily at him.  She was in the mood to play games.

Jet stood, "I trust you well enough, though I think I shouldn't." 

Julia entered the Bebop, heading towards the living room, stopped in the doorway behind the couch. She wanted to wait for Jet and Faye to leave before she went to talk to Spike.  

"Well, my love," Faye said, taking Jet's arm, "shall we be going?"

Julia watched Jet and Faye leave, and then she walked up behind the couch, waiting for Spike to take notice of her.

"Yeah?" he asked, voice void of any real emotion. 

"Jet and Faye seem to be getting along fine," she commented. 

"Yeah, what of it?"  She walked around the couch, sitting down and staring at him, wordlessly.  "Well?" he asked.

"What do you consider our relationship to be?" 

"I'm not too sure anymore, seeing as you so bluntly put it, we are just friends."

"Spike, I can't believe you are taking this so seriously. I didn't know _who _or _what _that girl was. For all I knew she could have been your ex who you are extremely comfortable around. I didn't have any clue what you considered us. It would be wrong to jump to conclusions about it." 

"You want to know what Stella was?  Stella was the victim of Venus sickness.  She was blind.  She was also the little sister to a bounty I had been assigned to catch.  The reason he was a bounty was because he had stolen some gray ash to save Stella and get her eyesight back.  Rocco, her brother, ended up dying.  So now you know who and what Stella is."  He stood up and walked out of the room.  His bedroom door slamming ended the conversation.

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"So you remember what he looks like, right Faye?" Jet questioned, staring wide eyed at the mass number of people at the grand opening of the casino. 

"Yes, honey, I remember what little Jeff looks like," she said with a smile.  She was still hanging onto his arm, her head resting slightly on his muscled triceps.

He looked down at her like she had lost her mind. "Good," was all he said. 

When they neared the front, she smiled and hugged his arm tighter, muttering through her teeth, "You brought your gun, didn't you?"

He nodded. "Yea, I brought two. I didn't know if you could fit one in that dress you're wearing." He whispered back.  He lifted his dress coat, revealing some of the gun. "Just grab it if you need it." 

She smiled up at him.  "You are so thoughtful, my cuddly wuddly sugar plum," she teased, trying not to laugh.

"Faye, don't push it." 

"Oh, don't you love me, Jet?" she asked, her voice softer but no-less teasing.

"Yes, Faye. I'm absolutely _drowning_ in my love for you." 

Faye smiled, holding onto him tighter.  "I see him," she said.  "By the roulette table, the guy with the shoulder length blonde hair."

"What do we do about him?" Jet questioned. "How do we figure out whether or not he's our man with out beating him?" he whispered.

"I don't know.  I assume we could turn him in and the cops would question him.  If they think we are right, then we'll get the bounty."  She frowned.  "Now the question is how we arrest him without causing a huge scene and without getting our heads blown off by his bodyguards.  There's Jim, Tim, and Lin," she said, pointing out two males and one female sitting around him.

"I'll get the bodyguards. You get him." Jet whispered. He slipped out his gun, sliding it to her. "Be careful, Faye." He whispered in her ear before moving away to his right.   

Faye stalked forward, placing the gun to the back of Jeff's head.  "Don't even move," she whispered in his ear.  She felt three identical guns placed on the back of her head and almost panicked.  Almost.  _Jet, where the hell are you? _She thought.

Jet walked up behind the three bodyguards. " If you don't lower your guns, you're going to be one sibling short." He placed the gun to Lin's head. 

"Don't listen to him, damnit," Jeff hissed, "kill the woman!"  Faye felt the guns waver and one of them clattered to the floor.  She had a feeling it was Lin's.

"Put them down, Jim and Tim. I will kill her and you'll feel guilty, won't you? After all, she _is_ your sister."

Faye dug the barrel of her gun into the back of Jeff's head.  "Get them off of my back or I will splatter your brains on this roulette table and we'll all take bets on which number your eye lands on."

"You wouldn't," he said, voice hysterical yet soft, "not with the bounty at stake."

"So you admit that you are the bounty head?  Hot damn, this was easier than I thought."  Faye smirked.  Jim and Tim's guns had still not lifted, but they were wavering.  If she played her cards right, they would shoot at her and miss. 

"Lin, lean down and get me your gun." Jet ordered. After Lin had given him the gun, he put it to Tim's head. "Drop it, Timmy." 

"Tim, don't do a thing, because you won't need to," Jeff said.  Faye tightened her grip on her gun.  Jeff ducked and turned as fast as lightening, pulling out his own gun and shooting Faye.  He got her just under the collarbone, just barely missing her heart.  She let out a scream of agony and fired the gun multiple times.  The bullets struck Jeff in the knee, foot, stomach and hand.  He was on the floor, wriggling in pain.  Faye stood there, shaking, before she slumped to the ground, breathing raggedly.

Jet knocked Tim away with the butt of the gun. He swung his arm around, shooting Jim in the leg. He then knelt beside Faye. "Faye, I'm getting you to a hospital." He moved to pick her up. 

"No!" she said, grabbed the front of his shirt.  "No, get him.  Get him first.  Please, Jet?"

"He's not going anywhere, Faye. I'll tell somebody else to take him in."

"Jet," she argued gently, her eyes closing, "I don't trust 'somebody else'.  Take him in."

He ignored her, picking her up in his arms. She protested and groaned, but after a while fell silent.  Jet had flagged down a taxi and told the driver to head toward the nearest hospital immediately.  Faye laid in the backseat, her head on Jet's lap.  Her mouth was open, taking in ragged breaths of air.  Her eyes were wide and staring and beginning to glaze over in pain.

"Faye, stay awake." He brushed her cheek. 

She put her hand over his.  Her complexion was loosing the slight tan she had quickly.  "Jet, I'm cold," she whispered.

He nearly choked. He pulled off his coat and wrapped her in it. Then he ripped his sleeve off and pushed it to her wound to stop the blood flow. 

"No, Jet, it's a rental," she protested about the suit.  She was cut short by a terrible cough that wracked her body and left her spitting up blood.  She gasped, lying back in Jet's lap after the cough-attack.  He pushed it gently to the wound anyway.  "Jet, promise me something," she murmured softly, her eyes closing.

"What?" 

"Promise me that you'll cremate me, not bury me," she murmured.

"You're _not _going to die," he told her forcefully. " I won't let you." 

She smiled softly, opening her eyes slightly.  "Oh Jet, it's okay.  Just smile and remember the good times…whenever those were."  She frowned.  "I never gave you all much of a chance to have a good time while I was around, did I?"

The car pulled to a screeching stop. "We're here." Jet pulled Faye out of the car as gently as possible and tossed the driver some woolong. He then rushed into the hospital at break-neck speed.

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Faye awoke in the middle of the night, coughing.  Her whole left arm, shoulder and collarbone hurt.  The room she was in was dark except for the pale moonlight streaming through the opened window.  She recognized the place as a hospital room. 

Jet leaned forward, brushing her arm to get her attention. "Are you okay?" 

She jumped slightly.  "Jet?" she questioned.  "What happened to the bounty?"

"The cops took him in for interrogation." 

Faye laid back, letting out a sigh of relief.  She then reached out, taking Jet's hand and holding it.  "Thank you for what you did.  You could have left me there to die, but you didn't."

"I wouldn't," he reassured.

She nodded.  "Thanks anyway."  She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  Sleep soon enveloped her in its warm embrace.

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****

**_"And I'd give up forever to touch you_**

**_Cause I know that you feel me somehow_**

**_You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be"_**

**_-- Goo Goo Dolls - Iris_**

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~Please Review~

Eternity's Angel of Mercy & Midnight Rain

_SEE YOU SPACE COWBOY…_


	7. Quiet Down

                                                                    **_Chapter Six:_**

                                                                    **_Quiet Down _**

****

_"Missed me as what, Jules?"-Spike _

_***_

Faye was allowed to go back 'home' to the Bebop the next week. Ed, when Faye entered, ran up and hugged the older woman, sobbing. It was quite disturbing. Faye, though, stood and patted Ed's back, putting up with the sudden show of affection only because she herself was glad to be back and happy to still be alive. 

Jet came in behind Faye carrying all her bags. He dropped them down on the floor beside the doorframe that connected the entrance hall to the living room. Spike stood from his place on the couch. "I thought you said you could protect her," he murmured accusingly, so only Jet could hear.  

"She's alive," Jet stated. "I got her through it." 

"Well, you got her through it by wasting 25,000 woolong," he muttered. "Not only that, but we didn't get the reward for that last bounty.  Not only was he riddled with holes but he also committed suicide before the cops could get there!"

Jet shrugged, "Life's a bitch." 

Spike sighed. He walked over to Faye, congratulating her on the catch before turning and going into his room. Ed had finally detached herself room Faye and went to find Jester for Faye. 

"He seems… different," Jet commented.

"Who, Spike?" Fay asked. "I hadn't noticed." She sat down on the couch, sighing deeply. 

Jet lowered his self next to her and it donned on him. "Where's Julia?" 

"No idea," Faye said, leaning over so her head was on his shoulder. "Those meds are making me sleepy." 

***

Julia checked out of the hotel she had been staying in for the past few days. Now, it was time to face the music: to face Spike. She had to get her clothes, rewashing the old ones over and over was getting old. 

She paid the cashier what little money she ha and set off for the Bebop. 

***

Silently, that night, Julia boarded the Bebop. She racked her brain for the memory of where she had laid her bags of clothes. _The left living room corner. _

Upon entering the living room, -to her great disappointment and utter dismay- she found her clothes had been removed. "Shit," she cursed.

"Looking for something?" A familiar voice asked. Spike was sprawled out on the couch, a bottle of vodka in hand. 

"Yes," she stated confidently. "I _need my clothes." _

"Where have you been?" he asked. 

"Why does it matter?" she walked around the couch, so she was standing over him. She placed her hands on her hips, "Spike, I need my clothes." 

"It does matter, now where the fuck have you been?" 

"Where do you think I've been?" she said seriously, but inside she was just messing with him. 

"Fuck you, Julia. I am getting sick of you just taking off without a word." 

"I was staying at a hotel across town," she said nonchalantly, as she walked into the kitchen to get a glass of water. 

"And what for?" he yelled, following after her. 

"Ssshh, you'll wake everybody up." She turned on the water, and faced him as her cup was filling. "Because, dear, I couldn't stay here." 

"And why the hell not?" 

"Because, I wouldn't be able to stand being around you when you're pissed… at me." She turned back to the sink, looking over at the dining room table across the bar. She brought the cup to her lips, drinking the clear, cool liquid as she turned off the water. 

Spike grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him. He grabbed the cup from her and set it on the counter before taking her face in his hands and kissing her deeply. When he pulled away, he asked, "Julia, what is our relationship in your eyes?" 

Julia stared into his reddish-brown colored eyes, "I missed you." She placed her hand on the side of his neck. 

"Missed me as what, Jules?" 

"I missed you as a lover." 

He pulled her close again, locking lips with hers.

She ran her hand up his neck, onto his cheek, and into his hair. Her other hand sliding under his shirt and across his bare side.

"So, do you still need your clothes to leave?" Spike asked, his lips hovering over hers.

She kissed him on the lips. "No, I guess not." 

He picked her up in his arms and ran, literally, into his room, shutting the door behind him. 

***

Jet staggered down the hall. He felt drunk, but knew he didn't touch a damn bottle – or can- of anything alcoholic the previous day. He was just _not _a morning person**_. _**

Faye was sitting sulkily in the dining room, cutting away savagely at a bonsai tree.

Jet laughed when he saw her. "Something wrong?" 

She looked up, her eyes bloodshot. "I request a room as far away from Spike's as possible." 

"Why?" Jet asked, clueless.

"They were going at it all fucking night. Each time I thought they were finished, they started up again. By God, they're like fucking animals." 

Jet nearly fell to the floor in laughter, not to mention unstable legs. He grabbed the bar to stable his self. 

"Yea, laugh it up, cowboy," she growled, making another violent snip with her scissors. "What I need is to get back at them, but by God I don't want to pay someone to sleep with me. That is just so desperate, you know?" She lopped off another branch.

"Well, you got a dilemma." Jet sat down in front of her. "I can help you. I'm not going to sleep with you, but I can make the noise." 

Faye stared at him, mouth hanging open. She then let out a startled laugh, followed by another until she was cracking up. 

"I know it sounds stupid." 

That made her laugh harder. She held her sides, doubled over in laughter.

"Fine. I was just offering my help." She stood up walking into the living room, away from her laughing. 

She followed him, a wide smile on her face. "You need to lighten up. I never refused your help." 

He nodded. "Okay tonight." He said it like it was a dare, a bet to be there or be square. (Don't ask.) 

"See you then, my love," she said, kissing his lips lightly before running for the bathroom. 

"Don't push it, Faye!" he yelled after her.

She held up her middle finger before retreating behind the bathroom door, screaming, "You can't get me, nah-nah-boo-boo!" 

Jet laughed, "I don't chase." 

She stuck her head out of the room and sticking her tongue out at him. 

***

That night, Jet entered Faye's room at the set time. 

Faye was sitting on her bed in a bra and shorts, her usual nighttime attire. "Jet, I gotta ask you a question." 

"Okay. What is it?" 

"You don't look like the type that would… you know… So I was wondering if you've ever… you know… I mean, if we want it to sound real, you gotta know how to… you know…" She looked real uncomfortable. 

He laughed, "You want to know if I've ever had sex. That's a personal question, Faye." 

"Well, I know, but… you know…" 

"Yes, Faye," he answered her earlier question. "I have." 

"Oh, okay," she said. She was unusually red in the face. 

"So, when do you want to start?" 

"Now, I guess," she said, but turned even redder.

"Who's starting?"

"You can," she replied quickly. 

He laughed and stood, making his way to the door. "Oh God Faye," he moaned. 

Faye was the color of a very ripe tomato. "Ooh, Jet." She cooed. "Touch me again… ohh, right there." 

***

Julia looked over at Spike. She had the blankets pulled up to her chin. "Spike?" 

Spike looked equally horrified. "Tell me I'm hearing things." 

Julia heard Jet moan, "Isn't he a little old for her?" 

"Thirteen years," he answered. Hearing Faye let out a loud "Oh yes! Yes!" he paled. "I'm going to be sick." 

"Why don't you go make them shut up," she urged. 

"Me?! Why not you?" 

"I don't know them as well as you. I don't want to interfere with their nocturnal activities." 

"Neither do I. I'm afraid I'll see something that will haunt my dreams until kingdom come." 

"Faye," Jet rolled the word in a husky, low groan. Julia covered her ears. "How about we both go," she offered. 

"O… Okay," he agreed but stood hesitantly. 

Julia took his hand, walking out the door. They were half-way to Faye's door when the moaning stopped. "Maybe they stopped." Julia pulled on Spike's hand causing him to come to a stop. 

The moaning began again, "Never mind, I spoke to soon." 

Spike swallowed before walking forward, knocking on the door.

***

Jet looked at Faye. He pointed to the door, and then mouthed; "Get in bed, cover up," as he removed his T-shirt throwing it on the floor. He undid his belt and pants. 

Faye quickly got under the covers, ruffling her hair and taking the shoulder straps off her bra. 

Jet opened the door to two _very disgusted people. "Can I help you?" Jet asked lazily. _

"Jet," Faye whined, "come back, baby." 

Julia opened her mouth, but closed it before any words slipped out. She looked to spike for support. "Do you—umm." 

Spike then began, "Could you, um, you know?..." 

"Quiet down," Julia finished. 

Jet started at them like they each had sprouted another head. Then turned to Faye, "They want us to quiet down." 

"Quiet down?" She repeated, sounding astounded. "No, honey, we can't do that." 

"I'm sorry, we can't do that." 

Julia nodded. "I understand but we can't get to sleep." 

"They can't get to sleep, Faye." Jet yelled back to her.

"Well, neither can we, right Jetty?" 

Julia nodded. "Just thought we'd… you know… tell you how much noise you were making… so, um… goodnight." 

"Goodnight," Jet shut the door. "I'm coming back to bed, Faye." Julia heard the springs creak from his added weight. 

Faye giggled over dramatically and Spike frowned. "I vote the couch." 

Julia looked at him, "Will we both fit on it?" 

"You can take the couch, I'll have the floor." 

"How sweet of you." She patted his cheek as she walked past. 

***

Faye smiled. "They're going into the living room," she said, listening through the door. She flopped back down onto the bed's tousled sheets. 

Jet buttoned his pants and redid his belt. "You owe me," he said a he picked up his shirt. 

"Thank you, Jet. That's the second time you've saved me." She smiled at him sheepishly. 

"Is that all I get. A 'thank you.' Do you know how Spike is going to look at me now? Like I've lost my mind." 

"What do you want for me to do for you, Jet?" she asked, seeming abashed. 

Jet shook his head, "If I have a problem you help me." 

"Okay," she agreed. "I won't let you down like Alicia did," she paused when she realized what she had said. "Oh, God, Jet, I am so sorry, I-" 

"No, don't worry about it." He opened her door, slipping out into the engulfing darkness of the hallway. 

Faye got up and caught his arm outside his room. "Jet, I didn't mean to bring her up. I am so sorry." 

"Faye," he pulled his arm away. "Don't worry. It's okay," he insisted, but inside he wasn't so sure. He figured he was over her by now, but the way Faye phrased it got to him. 

She bit her lip and turned. Before she left, though, she said, "I've changed, Jet. You can talk to me whenever and about whatever." 

***

Julia woke the next morning with Spike lying next to her on the couch. They had both managed to fit on it-when Spike wouldn't stop complaining how hard the floor was-. Of course, they had to lie sideways. Her arms were wrapped tightly around his waist, and her face was buried into her chest.  

Faye came out of her room, sat down at the kitchen table and began clipping away at the bonsai again. 

Julia kissed Spike, afraid to move for fear of waking him. He looked so peaceful when he slept. 

Jet walked into the kitchen and began making eggs, "We're leaving for the Venus, today." 

"That's nice," Faye said softly, clipping another branch. 

Spike moaned and rolled off the couch. He didn't even seem fazed when he hit the floor. He went on sleeping. 

Julia stepped over him, sighing. She walked into the kitchen, caught between the both of them, remembering last night, she whispered, "I'm just going to go Spike's room."  

Jet watched Julia go, "What's wrong _today, Faye. Regret the joke?" _

"I'm full of regrets, shattered hopes and lost dreams, Jet," she said quietly, pinching a branch in between her fingers to steady it while grabbing the shears in the other. 

Jet sat down the knife and milk jug. "Faye, what's wrong?" he asked again. 

"Nothing, Jet, don't worry about it," she muttered, clipping the bonsai and cutting her finger at the same time. The clipped branch fell onto the table, two perfect blood drops on it. "Goddamnit," she cursed.

Jet ignored her, pouring a cup of milk and buttering his bread. He grabbed them both and went into the living room. He kicked Spike in the side to move him away from the couch. "Get up you lazy ass." 

Spike moaned. "Damnit, Jet," he grumbled. "Go kick your new little girl of a squeeze."

"Hey, Spike." Jet sat down on the couch, resting his feet on the table. "Julia told me not to tell you, but seeing as we're friends and all. Plus I figure you'd like to know. She's not here. She left with some guy named Mikeal, said she'd be back by two, and to tell you she just went shopping. I caught her this morning about to leave with him. She explained everything." 

Spike huffed angrily and stomped off, slamming his bedroom door. 

Faye walked by, also in some sort of angry state, and walked into the bathroom, also slamming the door. 

"God, what's going on around here?" Jet asked nobody in particular. 

Julia was rummaging through her bags of clothes in the corner of Spike's room. 

Spike came in, and, taken aback by her being there, said, "What the hell are you doing here?" 

Julia looked at the bag of clothes, over to Spike and then back at the bag of clothes. She picked out a pair of tight-fitting black jeans and a burgundy shirt. "I can leave," she started walking towards him, to get to the door.

"No, no… hold on." He opened the door and bellowed. "JET! YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!" 

***

_"True love never dies as we see in our eyes, only when we let go that we can truly say goodbye."—I'm not to sure. Sorry_

_'I started a joke, which started the whole world laughin'._

_But I didn't see that the joke was on me' _

_~The wallflowers. _

_'This joke is getting kind of personal_

_Your laugh is like a scream that goes and goes and goes'_

_~Headstrong_

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~ Please Review~

                              Eternity's Angel of Mercy and Midnight Rain

                                                                                   _SEE YOU SPACE COWBOY…_


	8. The Truth Comes Out

 SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1

                                                            **_Chapter Seven:_**

**_                                                                  The Truth Comes Out_**

****

****

Faye stared at the TV screen, awed. "Wow, he's hot." 

Jet leaned over the couch. "I guess only a girl would think that."

 "A 1,000,000 reward – Murder. I'd rather keep him," Faye said. The subject of her affection was a black haired, icy blue-eyed boy on Big Shot. 

"Are you going after him?" Julia asked from the side of the room, near the exit.

Spike nodded, "I am, and Faye's dead set on keeping him locked in her room." Spike looked at Jet, smiling. "Looks like you got some competition." 

Jet shook his head, smiling.

"So where is it?" Julia questioned. "Where are we going?"

"Jupiter, here we come!" Faye said, jubilantly. 

**

Jet landed the Bebop on Jupiter. "Ok, what are you to planning to do to get this guy?" 

"I plan on using my beauty. No man can resist moi," Faye said, throwing her head back and shaking out her soft purple locks.

Spike snorted. "We knew Jet certainly couldn't." 

"Well, we know what you do at night, too." The lame comeback was out of Jet's mouth before he could stop it.

"Oh, well at least Julia and I don't scream each other's names all damn night." 

"That's what you think. You two are too caught up in the _passion to know – to even care- what comes out of each other's mouth." _

Spike shrugged, a small smile on his lips.  He wasn't arguing with it. Faye smiled. "You don't have much room to talk, Jetty," she teased. 

Jet looked at Faye, "Just call me when you both are ready to leave." 

"I'm ready," they both said.

***

"Are we splitting up again?" Spike asked her as they stood in front of the café.

She smiled, re-adjusting her black-cropped tube top and her matching skirt that just barely covered her butt. "I am so going to beat you to this bounty." 

"Whatever," he said, going his separate way.

***

Faye sat down on a park bench, licking a chocolate ice cream, and people watching; waiting.  

Malachi trudged through the park. _Jake could have warned me earlier. He could have told me my gas tank was empty and the fact that he took my cell phone.  _

Faye looked up and, seeing Malachi, almost chocked. She regained composure almost immediately. She licked her ice cream but kept her eyes on Malachi Jhonz, the bounty head. 

"What a fucking idiot." His black coat billowed around him. His icy blue eyes took on a shadowed color. He looked around the park. "What kind of people sit around a park on a perfect new year's day," he grumbled to himself. 

Faye stood, throwing her cone away. She then pretended she was looking through her small purse while walking. She purposely ran smack into Malachi, falling back onto the ground. She moaned and clutched her ankle. 

Malachi looked at his watch. "Fuck," he kneeled beside her. "Are you okay?" 

"My ankle," she murmured, biting her bottom lip; she was playing the beautiful, helpless female wonderfully. She 'tried' standing, but 'fell' into Malachi.

"Do you want me to take you to the hospital? Oh, well, never mind that, my car broke down." 

Faye cringed. "No, I … I guess I can make it to my hotel room," she mumbled. She took a ginger step before toppling. 

"I can help you to your hotel room," Malachi offered.

"I wouldn't want to burden you," she began, still on the ground. 

He checked his watch again. "I have time. Where is it?" 

"The Ramadon," she named the ritzy hotel she had rented a room from. _Everything is going according to plans, _she thought. "Just off 8th avenue." 

**

Upon entering the Ramadon, Malachi asked, "What floor?" 

"Fifth floor, room 519." 

At her door, he looked over at her. "Put in your key."  She pulled it out and inserted it. "Can you make it from here?" he asked. 

"I don't think so. Just get me to the bed and I'll be fine," she murmured.

Malachi helped her to the bed. Faye grabbed the handcuffs she had hidden under the sheet. She stood and pulled Malachi down on to the bed, straddling his waist, cuffing his hands before he had a chance to move.

"What the hell is this?" 

"A bounty hunter catching her prey is what this is," Faye said. "Come on, let's go."

Malachi raised his arms -which had been resting on his lap- over her head, to come and rest around her. "I'm not going anywhere," he whispered his lips mere inches from hers. 

Faye let out a sort of strangled gasp, trying to get out of his arms. She was at bad ends. Not only was he bigger and stronger than her, but he also had a chain wrapped around the back of her neck that was digging into her flesh and forcing her head closer to his. 

Malachi's eyes searched her. "You're scared." 

She paused her struggling and watched him. "Why the hell wouldn't I be? You're a fucking murderer." 

"Murderer?" 

"Yeah!" she said in a 'duh' sort of way. "You're on Big Shot and have a 1,000,000 woolong reward on your head." 

"I didn't kill anybody," he told her, sternly. 

"That's what they all say," Faye stated. She finally used her hand, putting her palm on his face and pushing downward forcefully. He was pushed backward, until he couldn't go any farther because of the handcuffs around Faye's neck. "Let me go," she screeched, ducking closer to him due to the handcuff chain that dug into her neck. She could feel a trickle of blood run down to the front of her neck. 

Malachi lifted the chain from around her neck, placing his hands above his head. She grabbed his arm with one hand and her gun out of her purse with the other. She placed the gun under his chin. "Now, come along. I need to get back to my ship before Ed's birthday party." 

"I'm not going anywhere," Malachi stated. 

"Look, you killed somebody. The least you could do is let me take you in. It's either that or I throw you out the window." 

"I didn't kill anybody and I'd rather you throw me out the window." 

"If you didn't kill anybody, why are you on Big Shot?" 

Malachi shrugged. "I don't know." 

"'I don't know' isn't going to save you." Faye said, jerking him up. 

"I was framed." 

"You know something? I have no idea what to do with you… So, off to the Bebop." She picked up her communicator and said, "Jet, I got Malachi." I need you to see this. Come pick me up. I'm at the Ramadon on the 5th floor, room 519." 

~

Jet pulled up next to the room, on the outside. "Faye, can you open the window?" 

Faye opened the window and grabbed Malachi, shoving him through the window and onto the ship. She dragged him through the living room, sitting him on the couch. "Jet!" she called. 

Jet walked into the living room. "Why aren't you taking him in? I didn't think you were serious when you said you were locking him in your room." Malachi looked up at Faye. 

Faye rolled her eyes. "He isn't my type. He claims he's innocent." 

"I didn't know you had a type. I though you just picked by the way they looked." Jet said as he walked across the room, sitting in front of Malachi. "You innocent?" 

Malachi nodded, "I'm innocent." 

"I'm going to ignore your comment," Faye said to Jet. She glared at Jet before looking at Malachi. "You'd better spit the story out before I decide to turn you in." 

"I don't know why I have a bounty on my head!" he exclaimed. "I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I was caught leaning over the dead body. I ran. I didn't mean to. My mind just wasn't working." 

Faye sat down on the coffee table beside Jet, staring at Malachi. She suddenly asked, "Did you see anyone by the body before you found it?" 

  
He nodded, "They ran. It didn't occur to me they probably killed him." 

"Was anything… missing? From the body, I mean." 

Malachi stopped to think.  "I think his foot was missing. I didn't really pay any attention to it." 

"Vicious…" Faye whispered. 

Malachi looked up at Faye and asked, "Can you un-handcuff me now?" 

Faye looked at Jet. "If we let him go, tons of hunters will be after him. He's innocent, so we can't turn him in…" 

"Well, what are we going to do with him? Keep him as a pet?"

Ed's little orange head popped up, grinning. "He can marry Faye-Faye and I can be the flower girl!" Ed began singing the bridal march and dancing around the room. 

Faye sighed, her head bowed in embarrassment. "Edward, go play in the hall or something." When Ed skipped off, Faye turned to Jet. "Did Julia agree to make the birthday cake?" 

"Yeah, I think so." 

"Okay, guys.  I'm still here. Can you please, undo the cuffs?" 

Faye frowned, "Is Spike still searching for Malachi?" 

"No, he's on his way. I contacted him after you called." 

She nodded, "So what are we going to do with Mr. Innocent over there?" 

"You caught him. What you want to do with him?"  
   

"Keep him…for now. If we don't like him, we can dump him out in space somewhere." 

"I don't know if Spike will like that." Jet stated standing up. "But so be it. Un-cuff him, Faye. I'm going to check on the cake." 

Faye nodded, standing and un-cuffing Malachi. "You owe me." 

Malachi rubbed his wrist and nodded, "Just ask." He rose from the couch.

"Well, you met Jet Black, he's the brains of this outfit. Ed, the crazy girl you saw, is our hacker. I am Faye Valentine." 

"Okay, what do you do? And who's Spike?" 

"Oh, I'm the leech who occasionally does some bounty hunting. Spike Spiegel is our 'brawn' although you wouldn't think that by seeing him. Let's go see how Julia's doing on the cake. It's Ed's birthday," she added. 

"Really," he followed her into the kitchen. 

Julia was mixing the icing together when she saw Faye walk in. "Hi.  Di-" She stopped short when she saw Malachi. "What the hell is he doing here?" 

"This is Malachi, our new space partner in crime." 

"I thought he was a murderer." 

"I didn't kill anybody." Malachi whispered in his defense.

"He's innocent. It's actually our Vicious wannabe. Spike did tell you about him, right?" 

Yeah." The buzzer on the stove went off and Julia leaned down to get the cake. She sat the fluffy, chocolate cake on the counter. Taking out a knife, She began to spread the chocolate icing on the cool cake. 

Malachi lowered himself into a chair. "So what am I going to be doing around here?" 

"I dunno. Spike or Jet will come up with something." Jester hopped onto the table and Faye stroked its head. "This is my cat, Jester." 

Malachi watched Julia ice the cake. "Did you let that cake cool before you coated it?" 

Julia looked up at him, "Yes," She stated as if it was obvious. 

Spike came in and froze, "What the hell is the bounty doing in our kitchen?" 

"He's staying," said Julia as she dropped the fork into the sink, running her finger along side the bowl and licking it. 

Faye added, "He's innocent." 

"Innocent? Innocent?! How the hell-" 

"It was our wannabe! Malachi was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Julia placed the bowl into the sink. "So when are we having the party?" 

"Oh, shit," Spike cursed. "I forgot to pick her up a present." 

"Just have a beer and give her the cap." Faye said. Spike nodded, as if he had never considered that. 

Julia walked around the bar and up to Malachi. She placed her hand on his shoulder as she passed, "You will find you have come to live with a bunch of psycho's" 

Spike sighed, "I need a shower," he said. He kissed Julia as he walked by and then flicked Faye on the head as he passed.

~

Jet walked into the kitchen. "So, Julia, when's the party?" 

Julia shrugged, "Whenever Spike's out of the shower." 

"Did I hear my name?" Spike asked from the doorway. He had a large present wrapped in newspaper. He set it down next to Jet and Julia's. "Where are the new guy, the birthday girl, and the drama queen?" 

"God knows," Julia shook her head as she lowered herself to the table.

Malachi walked into the kitchen, ruffling his hair. "Where am I supposed to sleep tonight?" 

"Well, it depends. The couch is usually open and Jet seems to like Faye's room immensely." Spike had a lazy smile on his face.

"I'm not sleeping with Faye, Spike." Jet stated as he sat down at the table, waiting. 

"The sounds coming from you two the other night suggests differently." Spike said wrapping an arm around Julia.  Julia nodded in agreement. 

"It was a one time thing," Jet defended himself without giving away the joke.

"Does Faye know that?" Spike questioned.

"Do I know what?" Faye asked from the doorway. She led a blindfolded Ed with one hand, the other holding a small wrapped gift.

"Yeah, I believe she does." Jet said while watching Faye lead Ed in. 

Julia looked up at Spike as she grabbed his hand, her fingers entwining with his. Faye sat Ed down at the table and lit the nineteen candles that decorated the cake. She undid Ed's blindfold and began singing, "Happy birthday to you…" Julia began singing with her while Jet mumbled the words, not really felling like singing. Malachi, on the other hand, just watched. Spike, too, only half-heartedly sang. He was here just for the cake. 

When the song was over, Ed giggled and blew out the candles. She then screamed, "Let's eat!" 

Julia grabbed the cake cutter, slicing pieces for everyone. (At first it sounds like she's going to keep it for herself. 'Julia grabbed the cake cutter, "NO! I get it all. Back up, bitches.") 

After the cake, Ed grabbed Spike's large present. She opened it to find a box with a new, sleek, black laptop. 

"I thought you forgot your present," Julia whispered in his ear.

"Nah," Spike whispered back. "I actually lied so you all wouldn't think I got a good gift." 

"Oh," Julia nodded.

Ed opened the present from Julia to find some new clothes. "Oooh, pretty," Ed exclaimed, holding up the dresses. She then took the box from Faye and opened it. There was a silver necklace with a dragon entwined around a blue orb. Ed put it on and it proved to be a choker.

Jet watched Ed tear open the gift from him. She took out a large metal, key-like rod. "What's it go to, Ed wonders." Ed said, looking up at them. 

"It's in the hanger. You can look."

"YAY!" Ed screeched as she took off at a run toward to the hanger.  
 

Julia looked at Malachi, "How long do you plan to stay?" 

"Till my bounty's lifted.  So you two are a couple?" Malachi asked Julia and Spike.

"I'd say that's about right," Spike agreed, tightening his grip on Julia.

"Are they?" he nodded over to Jet and Faye, who were talking to each other in hushed tones.

Spike grinned, "Who knows what they are." 

Malachi nodded.  "Am I like the only single person on this ship?" 

"Oh, come on people," Faye said. "I don't think Mr. Black would lay a finger on me even if I paid him." 

"Again?" Julia questioned. 

"There was no first time. It was all a joke." 

Jet nodded, agreeing with Faye. "I never actually touched her." 

Ed came running into the room and hugged Jet. "It's beautiful! It's just like Faye-Faye's spaceship!" 

Jet patted Ed's head, "I'm glad you like it."  Ed jumped out, giggling like mad about her new spaceship. 

"Well, Malachi, I hope you have fun." Julia smiled at him. "You're in for a long trip." Julia added, seeing the look on his face.

Malachi looked at Faye. "Is it to late for you to take me in?" 

~~`~~`~~`~~

**_"Some people see through the eyes of the old,_**

**_Before they ever get a look at the young, _**

**_I'm only willing to hear you cry, _**

**_Because I am an innocent man."_**

**_~ Billy Joel - An Innocent Man_**

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~ Please Review~

Eternity's Angel of Mercy and Midnight Rain

_SEE YOU SPACE COWBOY…_


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